The Caracas Metro celebrated 40 years with 70% of its trains immobilized

Just four months ago, Nicolás Maduro announced a rehabilitation plan called “Plan Metro moves with you”, which involves different offices of the high government, and whose goal is to improve the operation of the transport system with an investment of 150 million dollars to finance these works and 16 million euros for investment in rails

On January 2, 1983, the Caracas Metro System was founded and after 40 years of operation, 70% of its trains are immobilized and the rest work at half speed with different traction, coupling and flat-wheel failures. Of the active trains, 95% do not have air conditioning.

Just four months ago, President Nicolás Maduro announced a rehabilitation plan called “Plan Meter it moves with you”, which involves different offices of the high government, and whose goal is to improve the operation of the transport system with an investment of 150 million dollars to finance these works and 16 million euros for investment in rails; however, complaints and allegations of electrical failures, delays, and insecurity within the system persist.

#NOW | Older people walk through the tunnels of the Caracas Metro due to a system failure that paralyzed the train between the La Paz and Artigas stations.

One of the users told me that they lasted several minutes locked in the carriages without electricity. pic.twitter.com/zkTkhA8jRR

— Maria Alejandra Silva ? (@marialexsilva01) January 3, 2023

“We have no problem recognizing that painting and cleaning work is being carried out, but for a recovery of the metro and a truly inclusive transport, a billion-dollar investment is needed,” said Roberto Patiño at a press conference on Monday, January 2, together with Jhonny León, representative of Metrocommunity, where it was also stated that the Metro recovery plan arose after the “Metro 8330” campaign, promoted by Andrés Scholeter, Gabriel Santana and Patiño.

Jhonny León explained that currently the Caracas Metro system, on its three lines, only transports some 800,000 users daily, which contrasts with the almost three million that traveled in 2018, “a consequence of inefficiency,” he assured.

Roberto Patiño explained that on line 2 only between two and three trains per branch work; so users must wait up to 30 minutes to board one; “Since many of the trains are inoperative in the yards of Las Adjuntas,” he said.

For his part, the representative of Metrocomunidad indicated that although it is necessary to clean and paint the stations, that is not the priority. In his opinion, the rehabilitation of the underground system involves the recovery of the train fleet, made up of 126 units.

Photo: Luna Perdomo

He adds that it is urgent to recover the 56 kilometers in length and more than 225 linear lines of rails; in addition to the recovery of the electrification system that works at 40%, generating long delays.

“It is not only the structural problem, we are convinced that the Caracas Metro can recover, but it is necessary to intervene in all aspects. A worker earns between 16 and 20 dollars a month, they don’t have uniforms, there are problems of insecurity; people do not see the background, the user is affected by the reality of day to day, for example today only 5% of the 328 escalators work”, says Patiño.